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Counselling

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The two-paper Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling offers specialist postgraduate education in either family and relationship counselling or counselling supervision. The qualification is designed for experienced counselling and social service practitioners who have already received professional education.

The postgraduate certificates combine online learning and on-campus learning. This approach provides for students in more distant settings from Hamilton who are interested in learning about the ideas that we are teaching.

In 2018 a special topic paper will be offered for this programme - HDCO551 Special Topic: Whānau and Narrative Practice

This paper has an explicit focus on whakaaro Māori in therapy practice with whānau. Referring to Māori cultural ethics, its aim is to bring forward ngā kōrero a rangatira, through dialogue between whakaaro Māori and narrative therapy. Teaching of this paper will be shared between Māori MCouns graduates and programme staff.

Key information

Study Counselling in these qualifications

Counselling as a specialisation of

Papers

Available Counselling papers

Prescriptions for the PGCertCouns(CounsSup)

The Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling in Counselling Supervision is designed to offer experienced counselling practitioners advanced education in supervision. The programme is available for students who have completed a bachelors degree, or equivalent, and a counselling qualification, and who have at least five years' full-time equivalent experience in counselling.

To complete the Postgraduate Certificate, students must complete 60 points at 500 level (COUNS551, COUNS560, COUNS561). These papers each include an on-campus component and are taught partially online.

Applications must be received by 30 November in the year prior to enrolment.

Note: There will be no new intake into the PGCertCouns(CounsSup) in 2019.

Prescriptions for the PGCertCouns(FamCouns)

The Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling in Family Counselling offers a specialist postgraduate option in family and relationship counselling. The qualification is designed for experienced counselling and social service practitioners who have already received initial professional education. Its aim is the development of the skills and knowledge of practitioners who wish to become more specialised in their work with families and relationships. The programme is available for students who have completed a bachelors degree, or equivalent, and a counselling qualification, and who have at least five years' full-time equivalent experience in counselling, and who have a current membership of a recognised professional association in counselling or social work. Applicants should be in current appropriate practice.

To complete the Postgraduate Certificate, students must complete 60 points at 500 level (COUNS547, COUNS548). These papers each include an on-campus component and are taught partially online.

Applications must be received by 30 November in the year prior to enrolment.

Note: Students who gained HDCO551 in 2014 may substitute that paper for either COUNS560 or COUNS561.

Note: There will be no new intake into the PGCertCouns(FamCouns) in 2019.

Prescriptions for the MCouns

The MCouns programme is designed to offer students the opportunity to develop professional skills well-grounded in constructionist theories. Such a professional education programme invites students to consider their own lives, and how they are storied, both as persons and professionals. The programme aims to develop the professional identity, including skills and ethical behaviours, of the student counsellor. It is a recognised qualification for membership of The New Zealand Association of Counsellors.

To complete an MCouns, students must complete 240 points, including the four compulsory papers COUNS541, COUNS542, COUNS544 and COUNS545. Students may include

(a) the four compulsory papers and a 120 point thesis, or

(b) the four compulsory papers, a 90 point thesis or a 60 point dissertation, and 30 or 60 points from approved 500 level papers, or

(c) the four compulsory papers and 120 points from approved 500 level papers.

Entry into COUNS542 and COUNS545 requires the approval of the Director of Counsellor Education. Such approval is conditional on both a pass and demonstrated satisfactory professional performance in COUNS541 and the satisfactory arrangement of a practicum placement. Students without sufficient background in counselling may be required to complete COUNS549 in addition to the four compulsory papers. Students who complete the MCouns by coursework alone would not normally be permitted to apply for admission directly to doctoral study.

The MCouns is equivalent to two years' full-time study. Students may complete it on a part-time basis.

Applications must be received by 31 October in the year prior to enrolment.

These papers include an on-campus component and are either supported or taught partially online.

500 Level

This paper explores dialogic group processes with selected kinds of groups. Students will be given the opportunity to develop group membership and leadership roles through observation, participation and evaluation during an experiential workshop format and through on-line discussion and assignments.

This paper provides the opportunity for students to develop competence in basic relational and conversational skills of counselling within a narrative perspective. Students will develop a repertoire of counselling skills which are relevant in a variety of contexts. Video feedback and peer supervision will be used.

This paper requires 450 counselling hours in an agency, organisation or school. This paper is taught partially online. It is a compulsory paper for the MCouns and is available only to students enrolled in this programme. Students must arrange their own practicum placement in order to meet course requirements. The arrangements must ...

This paper offers a constructionist perspective on counselling and includes consideration of psychological theories which have influenced counselling practice. Students will be introduced to concepts which enable analysis of therapeutic conversations.

This paper is designed to bring together the narrative theory and practice issues arising in COUNS542. Students will meet on campus at regular intervals throughout the year to present examples of their work with clients, to participate in peer consultation and to address common problems related concerns that are present in their co...

This paper develops the skills of facilitating conflict resolution using mediation, conferencing and other types of restorative and generative conversations in families, schools and other contexts. A narrative perspective on conflict resolution features strongly in the paper.

This paper provides an overview of counselling practice and its contexts, including an optional module on school counselling. It teaches the skills and ethical perspectives of collaborative approaches to counselling, offering a particular introduction to narrative therapy.

Entry requirements

Expand to read entry requirements

Selection for the PGCert programmes is based on the following criteria:

An approved undergraduate degree

An approved counselling or social practice qualification

Five years’ experience in counselling or social practice

Current membership of a recognised professional association in counselling or social work

Access to suitable ongoing practice.

The regulations allow for application from very experienced professionals who do not meet all the above criteria.

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